Gearing



w. H. GEORGE.

GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1920.

1,387,973. v 'PatentedAug. 16,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

w. H. GEORGE.

GEABING. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1920.

Patented Aug. 16,1921.

2 SHEETS$HEET 2- zmmwea & d/ at? Nb MT I JxVI Y n I I n I nnrran sass WILLIAM a. stones, or mmrrnnn. IOWA, assrenoa ro ran DEXTER COMPANY,

, or FAIRFIELD, IOWA, A coarona rron or IOWA.

GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

I Application filed February 7, 1920. SerialNo. 357,086.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GEORGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulv Improvements in Gearing; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gearing, and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient gearing more particularly adapted for embodiment in a washing machine of the cylinder type, which gearing is so constructed that when theassociated control rod is actuated to disconnect the cylinder from the rest of the gearing, said cylinder stops or comes to a position of rest with its door in an uppermost position.

This object, as Well as the several advantages of the invention, will be made more apparent as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings :v

Figure 1 is a view in front end elevation of a washing machine of the cylinder type, embodying my improved gearing.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the washing machine with a part of a gear case embodied therein, shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal view, in part section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4: is a verticaldetail section, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views of parts at the right-hand end of Fig. 3, showing said parts in changed relations.

7 is a detail view of parts shown in lower left-hand corner of Fig. 1, but with some of said parts in changed relation.

Fig. 8 is a vertical, detail section taken on line 8-'8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a crank arm embodied in my improved gearing.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings :10 indicates as a right end walls and upright side walls into which blends the rounded bottom wall, there being of'course, the usual hinged cover for the open top of said tub. Journaled in the upright end walls of said tub is a clothes cylinder 15, having a door 16 by means of which the clothes are placed within and withdrawn from said cylinder.

The legs of each pair are connected together by top, intermediate and bottom cross bars 17-18 and 19 respectively, andthe front and rear bottom cross bars are connected together by longitudinal angle bars 20 and 21 respectively. This construction provides alight, yet strong and rigid frame which readily withstands the strains to which it is subjected.

25 indicates as a whole, a horizontally disposed main operating shaft (see Figs. 2 and 3) which extends longitudinally of the frame 10 in a plane below the tub 14, which shaft is supported in a manner soon to appear. Said shaft includes two axially alined drive and driven shaft parts 26 and 27, respectively the drive shaft part 26 having bearing at one end in a gear case 28 that includes an upright removable cover plate 29 fixed by means of a flange 29 to one of the rear legs 12. To the other end of said shaft partis secured a clutch member 30 by a pin and slot connection 31, so that said clutc member rotates with, but is capable of endwise movement on said shaft part 26, the inner end of said clutch member having an annular shoulder-32. The outer end of said clutch member has rotative bearing in the inner end of a tubular sleeve 33, the outer end of which is supported on an annular boss 34 made integral with a bracket 35 that is carried by a bearing plate 36 fixed adjacent the connection of the front lower cross bar 19 with one of the associated front legs An antifriction thrust bearing 37 is interposed between the inner end of the sleeve 33 and'shoulder 32 and in the outer slot 38 into. which extends a rib 39 made integral with the boss 34 of the bracket-35.

Thus this sleeve is held against rotation but is free to move longitudinally with reference to the driven shaft part 27 for a limited distance.

On the drive shaft part 26 is a large, grooved pulley 40, which is driven by a belt 41 from the small pulley 42 of an electric motor 43, mounted on a shelf or platform 44 supported on the legs 11 and 12 near their bottom ends. The large pulley 40 includes a hollow boss 45 which together with a cover plate 46 constitutesa casing for a planetary speed reducing gearing indlcated as awh'ole at 47 in Fig. 3. In the hollow boss 45 is fixed a stub shaft 48 upon which is rotatively mounted a plural gear which includes a small spur gear 49 and a larger spur gear 50. The smaller gear 49 meshes with a gear 51 fixed to the shaft part 26 within the gear casing, while the larger gear part 50, meshes with a non-rotative gear 52 on said shaft part in said casing. This gear 52 has a hub 53 which extends outwardly beyond the cover 46 and surrounding the projecting end i Y of said hub is a collar 54 made integral with an arm 55 which is secured at its top end to the longitudinal bar 20 connectin the front and rear end bars 19 together. set screw 56 extends through this collar and engages said hub in a manner holding it against rotation. Thus when the pulley is driven by the motor, the planetary gearing in the casing 47 will act to drive the shaft part 26 at a speed less than that of the pulley 40. An expansion spring 57 surrounds the shaft part between the clutch member 30 and a thrust bearing 58 adjacent the end of the, hub 53.

Fixed to the inner end of the driven shaft part 27, is a clutch member 60 which bears in the sleeve 33 and is adaptedto be engaged by and disengaged from theassociated clutch member 30 on the shaft part26, the corresponding outer end of the shaft part 26, extending into and bearingin the olutchmember Secured to the outer or opposite end of the driven shaft part 27' without the plate 36 to which the bracket 35 is secured and in which said driven shaft end has bearing is a crank arm 61 (shown in pers ective in Fig 9) having a crank pin 62.. peratively connected to said crank pin is one endof alink 63, the .other end of which is formed to provide a rack bar 64 which 1 meshes with the under side of a pinion 65 27 is being driven and isrotating,

on a stub shaft 66, extending through the front end wall of the tub 14., said shaft providing bearin for one end ofthe clothes cylinder. A 01k 67 on said shaft carrying a roller 68 holds saidrack in mesh with the gear 65. 7

Thus as 18 apparent when the shaft. part an oscilpurpose of removing the Washed clothes therefrom. t

70 indicatesthe control rod which extends upwardly at the side of the tub near the adjacent front leg 11. This rod extends through and has bearing in a hole in the associated top angle bar 13, the top end being bent to provide a handle 71 which may be swung horizontally between the limits of movement defined by a plate 72 secured to the top corner of the frame above the leg 11 before mentioned. The bottom end of said rod which has bearing in a clip 73 ca ried by that end of the tube 33 bearing upon the boss 34, is bent horizontally to provide a latch operating arm 74.

On a block 75 fixed to the inside of the leg 11 is pivoted at its top end a gravity latch 76, which includes a cam part 77 extending parallel to the tube 33 and a contact or engagement part 78 arranged at right angles thereto and which is adapted to be engaged by the bent end 74 of the control .rod 70. When the rod 70 isactuated to cause its bottom end 74 to engage the part 78 of said latch, said" latch will be swung about its pivot and its cam part 77 will be projected through a slot 79 in the plate 36 beyond the plane of the associated front leg 11 and into the path of the crank arm 61. When the latch has been thus actuated as in Fig. 5, theend 74of the control'rod will extend in the plane of or parallel to the cam part 77 of said latch. Thus in the swing of said crank arm, its approaching or advance 1 ing edge 61? will strike the cam part 77 and cause the same to swing rearwardly, which will through the bent end 74 of the control rod force the tube, 33 rearwardly. By reason of the 'engagementiof the inner end of said tube through the thrust bearing 37 and shoulder 32 on the clutch member 30, said 'clutch member is forced rearwardly on the,

drive shaft part 26 away from the clutch member 60 on the driven shaft part 27, against the action of the Spring 57 so as to disengage said clutch members and the shaft parts 26, 27. Rotation of the tube 33 is prevented in this operation by reason of the tongue and slot connection 38--39 before de-. scribed; The cam-part 77 of the latch is so formed that the following edge 61 of the crank arm shaft is squared to engage in t aseaevs 'relation to the oscillation of the clothes cylinder, said crank arm is stopped by its engagement with the cam part in .that position wherein the door of the cylinder is uppermost. As shown in Fig. 9 this crank arm is so constructed that its approaching edge will gradually engage the said cam part of the latch and move it rearwardly, the edge 61 of said crank arm having a cam-like form so as to increase thegfrictional engagement between the crank arm and latch, thus acting to brake the swing of the crank arm and slow it down instead of coming 'toa sudden and quick stop, which would be extremely noisy and quite straining on the mechanism.

When it is desired to again start the operation of the cylinder the control rod is actuated to swing its bottom end 74 away from the part 78 of the latch when the spring 57 will force the clutch member .30 into engagement with the clutch member 60, to

again drive the shaft part 27. Simultaneously therewith, the latch 7 6 will fall back by ravity into the full line position shown .inl igs. 3 and 8 out of the path of the crank arm 61 which is now free to make its swing. Normally the latch 7 6 hangs in this position and is only moved into the path of the crank arm by actuation of the control rod 70.

That end of the drive shaft part 26 within the gear case 28 before mentioned,has secured to it a large spur gear 80 (see Figs. 2 and 3) which meshes with the spur pinion part 81 of a bevel gear 82 journaled on a horizontal shaft'83 supported in the gear case28 and its cover 29. Meshing with the bevel pinion 82 is a second bevel pinion 84 fixed to the bottom end of an upright shaft 85 near the associated rear leg 12. The bottom end of this shaft 85 is journaled in the top wall of the gear case 28 while the top end of said shaft is journaled in a bearing block 86 carried at the top of the washing machine frame. The extreme to end of this lie gear box of a clothes wringer (not shown) which is adapted to be swung into different positions about the shaft as an axis. g

It is apparent from the foregoing description, that my improved gearing has many advantages. Upon actuation of the control rod, the clothes cylinder may be started and stopped at will, the clothes cylinder always stopping with its door uppermost, thus facilitating the removal of clothes therefrom. Furthermore, this stopping is brought about so that no undue strains are imparted to the mechanism: The use of speed reducing planetary gearing is advantageous in that said gears are fully inclosed, occupy but a small space and afford additional safety for the operator.

While describing my invention, I have referred to certain details of mechanical construction and arrangement of parts, I do not .wish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

. I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a support, an oscillating operating device in said support, a continuously rotating drive shaft, a second shaft adapted to be driven thereby, clutch means between said shafts, means operatively connecting said second shaft with said operating device, a control member, and means actuated by said control member and operable upon by a part of said means connecting said second shaft with said operating device for throwing out the clutch between said drive and driven shafts.

2. The combination of a support, an oscil-. lat-ing operating device in said support, a continuously rotating drive shaft, a second shaft adapted to be driven thereby, clutch means between said shafts, means operatively connecting said second shaft with said operating device, a control member, and means actuated by said control member, and operable upon by a part of said means con- -necting said second shaft with said operating device for throwing out said clutch between said drive and driven shafts and for stopping the operating device in a predetermined position.

3. The combination of a support, an oscillating operating device in said support, a continuously rotating drive shaft, a second shaft in line therewith and adapted to be driven thereby, clutch members between the adjacent ends of said shafts, a crank arm on the other end of said driven shaft, means operatively connecting said crank arm with said operating device, a control member, and means actuated by said control member and operable upon by said crank arm for throwing out the clutch between said shafts and for stopping the operating device in a predetermined position.

4. The combination of a support, an 05- cillating operating device in said support, a

continuously rotating drive shaft, a second shaft in line therewith and adapted to be driven thereby, clutch members between the adjacent ends of said shafts, a crank arm on the other end of said driven shaft, means operatively connecting said crank arm with said operating device, a control member, a latch movable by said control member, into the path of the crank arm, and a shifting driven'thereby, clutch members between the adjacent ends of said shafts, a crank armon the other end of said driven shaft,"'means opera'tively connecting said crank arm with said operating device, a tube inclosing the driven shaft but longitudinally movable thereon and having one end engaged with the clutch member on said drive shaft, a control rod mounted at one-end on the other end of said tube, and a latch member movable by said control rod, into the path of said crank arm, said crank arm engaging said latch and moving said tube through said latch and control rod into a position disengaging the clutch members on the adjacent ends of said shafts. 1

6. The combination of a support, an oscillating operating device in said support, a continuously rotating drive shaft, a second shaft in line therewith and adapted to be driven therby, clutch members between the adjacent ends of said shafts, a crank arm on the other end of said driven shaft, means operatively connecting said crank arm with said operating device, a control member and a latch movable by said control member into the path of the crank arm, means 0 erable through said latch and control mem er for shifting the clutch and stopping the operating device in a predetermined position upon engagement of the crank arm with the latch, and means for reengaging said clutch members when said control rod is moved out of engagement with said latch.

7.. The combination with'a support, an oscillating operating member therein, two longitudinal alined shaft sections, clutch members on the adjacent ends of said shafts for coupling said shafts together, a driven pul- I ley on one of said shaft sections, a planetary speed reducing gearing carried by said pulley and the associated shaft sectionfmeans operatively connecting the other end' of the other shaft section with said operating device, and means for actuating the clutch members between the adjacent ends of said shaft sections.

8. The combination with a support, an oscillating operating member therein, two lonitudinal alined shaft sections, clutch memliers on the adjacent ends of said shafts for coupling said shafts together, a driven pulley loose on one of said shaft sections, sa d pulley having a hollow boss and cover plate providing a planetary gear case, a gear fixed to said shaft in said gearcase, a second gear on said shaft held against rotative movement, a stub shaft carried by the gear case, gears rotative on said stub shaft and meshing with said gear fixed on said shaft and with said non-rotative gear, means operatively connecting the other end ofthe other shaft section with said operating device, and means for actuating the clutch members between said shaft sections.

Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 3 day of February, A. D, 1920.

WILLIAM H. GEORGE.

Witnesses:

W. D. HUNT, I, C. E. DOWNARD. v 

